Axial Edul Zug form a Fokker

[bhengel]

My grandmother worked as a secretary for Fokker (possibly even Anthony) in the Netherlands somewhere between 1920 and 1930. In that time it was common when a woman would marry that she would stop working.
When my grandmother did get married she got a wooden propeller as a wedding gift. This wooden prop was probably one of the last props they used. My grandmother died quite some years ago and I now have the propeller in my possession. My grandfather when he was alive built a clock in the propeller .

I am trying to find out to what type of plane the prop belonged.
I understood that in the 1920’s a propeller was like a tire. After a certain service period it was thrown away. Therefore it is hard to retrieve information about the propellers.
The propeller has some inscriptions like the engine brand, diameter and pitch. I hope someone is able to supply me with some information to which plane this may have belonged. With the information I have it can vary between a DR1 and a D-VIII.

The propeller has the following text on it (also to see on the photo’s)
18749
Axial
Edul Zug
100 PS Leron D260 ST212
TP18 63 C

18749: probably the serial number
Axial Edul Zug: the propeller manufacturer
110 PS: 110 horse power
Leron: Probably the way the Germans wrote Le Rhone in that time. The brand of the engine
D260: The diameter
ST212: The pitch
TP1863C (looks like the 2 has been changed to a 3 in the time) The drawing number.

I hope someone can help me and all information is helpful.
Regards,
Bart-Hein Engel

[Dave]

Interesting prop.

You should measure the hub dimensions then follow the links to the chart which could confirm the hub size as consistent with the LeRhone engine, which helps at least narrow it down. The horsepower isn't always stamped the same as what's printed on the chart. While Axial is clearly the manufacturer, "Edulzug" refers to " right hand tractor" as opposed to "pusher" type.

Not sure about the "TP" number. Maybe Bob Gardner will know.

[bhengel]

Le Rhone confirmation

Dave,
Thank you for the additional information. I can confirm that the measurements are consitstent for a Le Rohne 110 PS engine as mentioned in the table. Do you have any clue on which Fokker plane the prop is used? I hope the diameter and the pitch can reveal which type.
Regards.
Bart-Hein

[Bob Gardner]

Goedemorgen Bart-Hein,

I regret that I cannot identify which aircraft your prop came from but my guess is that it is from the Fokker E V/D VIII. I have not yet discovered the basis of Axial's type numbering. It seems to be based on shape rather than size.

Type 63 props were used on the Fok Dr I with Diameter of 2600 to 2620mm and pitch of 2300 to 2400mm with the 110ps Le Rhone.

Type 18 62 and type 18 63 props were used on the Fok D VII and Pfalz D XV with the BMW 185 and 200ps motors. D and St were about 2800mm and 2120mm.

The serial number of your prop is very probably from 1918 and hence I think it must be from the Fok E V/D VIII rather than the earlier Fok Dr I. Photographs that I have in my book on German Props show what appears to be a prop identical in shape to yours with similar looking markings, although unreadable, on a E V/D VIII.

Met Vriendschappelijke Groeten,

Bob

[bhengel]

Puzzled

Bob,

Thank you for the information. It is helping me in my search. What puzzels me is that I seem to have the diameter of a Dr1 and the pitch of a D VII. Additionaly the D VIII had a Oberursel UR-II engine and not a Le Rhone. I know the the Oberursel UR-II was a copy of the Le Rhone. And the Le Rhone was more reliable that the Oberursel UR-II. Kan it be that the D VIII were also fitted with Le Rhone engines?
Do you know what the diameter and the pitch for the D VIII was?

Kind regards,
Bart-Hein Engel

[Bob Gardner]

Hallo Bart-Hein,

I know that the Germans used captured Le Rhone engines whenever they could. And the man who stamped the data on the props for these engines at Axial never mastered the words 'le Rhone' and spelled them in a variety of ways!

I know of 12 German props for le Rhone engines made by Axial, Garuda and Heine. And probably double that number of props made for the Gnome.

The Americans evaluated a D VIII at McCook Field after the war and reported that it had an Axial prop with D2600 and St2600 for the Oberusel II 110ps engine. The prop serial number was 16065.

With kind regards,

Bob

[bhengel]

Hello Bob,

In you reply you mention that the D VIII at McCook Field had an prop with D2600 and an St2600. The pitch is that correct?

Kind regards,
Bart-Hein

[Bob Gardner]

Good Morning Bart-Hein,

These are the figures I have been told. I haven't made a mistake in typing them. And 'square' dimensions where pitch and diameter are very similar are not unknown.

With kind regards,

Bob